However, Tinder has caught wind of 3nder and plans to quash its ongoing rise. The company has been ordered to ceases operations, 3nder revealed, with Tinder of the opinion consumers will be bemused by the apps’ names – given they include use of the letter n, d, e and r.

The growing startup highlighted Adult Friend Finder and Grindr as other platforms using the same letters – coupled with the fact the cited letters aren’t owned by its adversary – but said Tinder continues to “attack 3nder during a time of explosive growth”.

Said explosive growth has seen three million messages a month sent on 3nder, while membership is up 30 per cent year-on-year – delivering a 980 per cent revenue increase.

3nder founder, Dimo Trifonov, said: “Our mission and our values could not be more distinct from those of Tinder. We have and always will put ethics and aesthetics first.

“Our members seek something else entirely when they come to us – to explore their sexual curiosity and date in an open-minded space. With so many sexualities and relationship structures left out of Tinder and the Match Group offerings, there is room for all of us. No one should have a monopoly on love.”

Further noting the differences from Tinder, 3nder said it doesn’t just have “gay or straight limitations” to choose from in-app – instead, it has some 23 sexualities listed. Some 42 per cent members are couples and 64 per cent of users are searching for couples.

Using an optional paid membership approach, 3nder is reinvesting funds generated to launch for Android – a platform that has a waiting list of 70,000 people globally.

Trifonov added: “3nder believes in a world where innovation, freedom of expression and the rights of small businesses are in the economic and social interests of society.

“There is a robust history of large companies attacking small businesses. 3nder acknowledges the impact Tinder has had on the world by introducing ‘swipe dating’ but harbours zero ambitions to be similar. We target an audience with completely different needs.”

In an attempt to give users a voice, 3nder is encouraging a social media orgy as it asks users to put their open minds to good user with the hashtag #TinderSuckMySocks on social networks “and for the most awesome people to send Tinder their dirty socks”. The business said it is “confident 3nder members know their own minds.”

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